Dolphins Post-Draft Projected Starting Lineup on Offense

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The Miami Dolphins certainly brought a lot of new faces to their roster in the 2026 NFL draft with their league-high 13 selections, and the entire roster makeover of the offseason suggests there could be a lot of new faces in the starting lineup next season.
Here's a quick look at where the Dolphins stand on offense after the first wave of free agency and the draft selections of offensive linemen Kadyn Proctor and DJ Campbell, wide receivers Caleb Douglas, Chris Bell and Kevin Coleman Jr., and tight ends Will Kacmarek and Seydou Traore.
Note that this breakdown does not include undrafted rookie free agents, whose signings usually don't become official until the start of rookie minicamp, which this year is scheduled for May 8.
DOLPHINS QUARTERBACK SITUATION
On the roster (3): Malik Willis, Quinn Ewers, Cam Miller
Projected opening-day starter: Malik Willis
Breakdown: This basically was a slam dunk from the time the Dolphins signed Willis to a three-year contract that included $45 million guaranteed over the first two years. Nothing that would have happened in the draft would have changed that.
DOLPHINS RUNNING BACK SITUATION
On the roster (4): De'Von Achane, Jaylen Wright, Ollie Gordon II, Donovan Edwards
Projected opening-day starter: De'Von Achane,
Breakdown: Another slam dunk here, with Achane returning after winning team MVP honors here.
DOLPHINS WIDE RECEIVER SITUATION
On the roster (10): Malik Washington, Tahj Washington, Theo Wease Jr., Jalen Tolbert, Terrace Marshall Jr., A.J. Henning, Tutu Atwell, Caleb Murphy (R), Chris Bell (R), Kevin Coleman Jr. (R)
Projected opening-day starters: Jalen Tolbert, Malik Washington
Breakdown: We've gotten to our first position where there's no clear answer; on the contrary, this spot is wide open. The most confident prediction we'd actually make here is that Bell will be in the starting lineup once he's fully recovered from the torn ACL he sustained at Louisville last season. For the start of the 2026 season, though, the opportunity is there basically for any of the wide receivers to shine and grab one of those starting jobs.
DOLPHINS TIGHT END SITUATION
On the roster (7): Greg Dulcich, Ben Sims, Cole Turner, Kack Kuntz, Jalin Conyers, Will Kacmarek (R), Seydou Traore (R)
Projected opening-day starter(s): Greg Dulcich, Will Kacmarek
Breakdown: It says here the Dolphins didn't spend a third-round pick on Kacmarek to have him be a seldom-used situational player, so expect a whole lot of two-tight end sets, particularly since the Dolphins don't have high-end wide receivers at the moment.
DOLPHINS OFFENSIVE LINE SITUATION
On the roster (13): T Austin Jackson, T Patrick Paul, G Kion Smith, G Jonah Savaiinaea, G/C Andrew Meyer, C Aaron Brewer, G Jamaree Salyer, G Braeden Daniels, T Carter Warren, T Charlie Heck, G/T Josh Priebe, T Kadyn Proctor, G DJ Campbell
Projected opening-day starters: LT Patrick Paul, LG Jamaree Salyer, C Aaron Brewer, RG Austin Jackson, RT Kadyn Proctor
Breakdown: The biggest question mark, of course, is where the Dolphins will be using their first-round pick at the start of his NFL career and the thinking here is it would seem to be an easy ask to move from tackle to guard for Jackson considering he's already played that spot in the NFL. Besides, wouldn't the Dolphins want their prized rookie to get an early jump at his (hopefully) long-term position? The other big question is what happens at that other guard spot, where Salyer will battle Savaiinaea for the starting job.

Alain Poupart is the publisher/editor of Miami Dolphins On SI and host of the All Dolphins Podcast. Alain has covered the Miami Dolphins on a full-time basis since 1989 for various publications and media outlets, including Dolphin Digest, The Associated Press and the Dolphins team website. In addition to being a credentialed member of the Miami Dolphins press corps, Alain has covered three Super Bowls (for NFL.com, Football News and the Montreal Gazette), the annual NFL draft, the Senior Bowl, and the NFL Scouting Combine. During his almost 40 years in journalism, which began at the now-defunct Miami News, Alain has covered practically every sport at one time or another, from tennis to golf, baseball, basketball and everything in between. The career also included time as a copy editor, including work on several books, such as "Still Perfect," an inside look at the Miami Dolphins' 1972 perfect season. A native of Montreal, Canada, whose first language is French, Alain grew up a huge hockey fan but soon developed a love for all sports, including NFL football. He has lived in South Florida since the 1980s.
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